.
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by Gabriele Esposito.
Hardback (7.0×10.0 inches). 164 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Organization, Weapons & Tactics
The first half of the book up to page 107 covers Persian history and the second half covers uniforms and weaponry.
I’ve enjoyed his Armies books, but there’s something off about the text in this one. It contains odd phrasings and odd word use that kept interrupting the flow of the information. I don’t know if the editor was pressed for time, some sort of translation problem, or even use of AI — it’s that different from his previous work. Don’t get me wrong, the information is there, just that the prose seems “off.”
The 42 color photos of re-enactors are just as good as always, but the 51 color uniform illustrations seem a bit impressionistic. You won’t confuse them with Osprey quality. That said, the illustrations showcase the Persian uniforms well enough for a painting table. You won’t run out of ideas for painting up units.
A mixed bag this volume, although it’s still valuable as a resource. Ties go to the author.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
